Videos? Cameras?

Terry,

How about this?

Barry has a good design for something like a go-pro. Works very well.

I did all of my initial videos with a modified flat car, legos (yes Legos), and a canon powershot camera. This gave it a bit of weight and helped to keep it on the tracks.

For that extra special I have done this:
https://ogrforum.com/t...driving-a-real-train

FYI, the camera is a DBPOWER SJ4000, with WiFi capability. It's a GoPro knockoff and is a whole lot less expensive.

The only negative is that the free iOS (iPhone/iPad) app that controls the camera isn't quite as easy to use and full-featured as I would like.

Thank you all for great suggestions! Looks a lot better than trying to attach my I Phone to a flatcar.

Barry, did the the camera mount you're using that's attached to the truck assembly come with the camera or is itan after market item or something you cobbled together? Also, did the truck assembly come with the coupler attached?, and Who makes it? Please list model n o., manufacturer info,etc. Any chance you can post video taken using this setup showing how well it tracks and how smooth the video is?

Thanks.

did the the camera mount you're using that's attached to the truck assembly come with the camera or is itan after market item or something you cobbled together?

The camera mount, as well as a whole lot of other mounting parts, came with the camera.

Also, did the truck assembly come with the coupler attached?, and Who makes it? 

The truck came with the coupler attached and, if I recall correctly, came off an MTH freight car. All that was necessary to attache the camera was to remove the screw from the center of the truck, drill out the hole a bit and use a screw with a tripod thread to attache the camera's mounting cover. Then, the camera just snaps into and out of the cover.

Please list model n o., manufacturer info,etc

The camera, as I previously posted, isa DBPOWER SJ4000. It's available from Amazon for about $70.

Any chance you can post video taken using this setup showing how well it tracks and how smooth the video is?

The video that I kept is a "grand tour" of my layout and is close to 200 Meg. If I get a chance later in the week, I'll make a shorter video and post it.

I prefer something smaller that I can stick on top of an engine, tender, rolling stock, or caboose.  This is the Mobius Actioncam that records a full 1080P resolution, and can be had in the $50-60 range.  I use a small piece of self-stick Velcro to stick it to a good location, depending on the effect I want to achieve.  No extra cars, and no power issues, it'll record several hours on it's internal battery.

John,

Is it WiFi?

John,

Can you post a link to a video done with this camera, this looks like it might be what I am looking for.

Ray

Barry Broskowitz posted:

"... video that I kept is a "grand tour" of my layout and is close to 200 Meg. If I get a chance later in the week, I'll make a shorter video and post it."

Thanks for answering my questions, Barry. Looking forward to seeing video segment posted.

It's not a WiFi camera, but I have some of those as well that I use for live views as we roll for modular shows.  My problem with the 2.4ghz cameras is there is some noise in the picture at times when the signal gets interference.  The ones that record internally don't have any such issues, you get nice clean video.

Ray, I just got this one, but I did a video with a 720P camera that I already have, you can expect this one to have better video, my tests indicate it certainly will.  I'll let you see a great layout while we're at it, this is the Pat Marinari's layout.

John,

Thank you for the demo, what a great layout, and my oh my, what beautiful ladies. I can see this camera is in my future. Gone shopping.

Ray

As noted Ray, I wish that were my layout, that's Pat's layout.   It is a great layout, and the Marinaris are very gracious hosts as well.

I too found myself waving at the beautiful ladies . . . lonely old fool that I am!

I am torn over the camera possibilities.

I am a "Canon man" but my DSLR predates those with video capabilities. A Powershot appeals to me for that reason.

But I 'd like a "tunnel ready" camera too. So both Barry's and GRJ's ideas appeal.

I use a X-10 video and sound security camera to transmit color TV images of layout action to a TV in the the train room.  It is mounted on a flat car or now known as the camera car.

Charlie

Havent seen X-10 stuff in a long time. How well does that work charlie?

I also use a sj4000 camera mounted on a flatcar with some small Styrofoam blocks to raise the lens to engine cab level.  For the "Nightshift Sites and Sounds" video experiment, I mounted a penlight on the flatcar just below the camera lens to reproduce the engine headlight.  Attached is a segment of the video.

Stone Rhino

The X-10 works very well.  Just have to remember to charge the batteries.

The kids love to see themselves on the TV and ham it up so I angle the camera slightly to the side and run it on a outside loop to get them in the picture.

Charlie

The one I built from scratch is drone parts. Although I'm still not too keen on LiPo cells and how volatile they are. A single charge exceeds multiple hours of use at shows and am able to send to a tv through out of band frequencies. Plus it all fits nicely into a Williams dummy with room to spare.

Hello Folks !

 New here - wanted to say 'Hi' and also respond to the question of how well x10 cameras work. I started buying x10 cameras for around the exterior of the house back in the late 90s. It didn't take long for me to wonder 'What if ... ?' having had a small Lionel layout set up for my kids. I took one of the cameras apart (easy) and pulled the guts from the casing. I used a Lionel coal car and a small battery pack from Radio Shack for hiding the batteries. It was a tight fit but worked. I then cut up a length of styrofoam to fit, scuffed it up and painted it black to look like a supply of coal. This hid the battery pack perfectly and looked very realistic at the same time. I snaked the wire out a hole I made in the front of the car.
You have to use very flexible wire for this so the car makes curves ok. 
I rewired the camera with the same thin wire I think (its been years, sorry) and hot glued the actual camera on the steamer I had. It didn't look great on the engine but the picture quality on our 36" Sony was great ! I then mounted the camera in a caboose which fit and made the layout look better. Of course, one now saw the track etc from the rear of the train looking at what the front of the train had already passed but this was interesting in its own right.
Used X10 cameras and battery packs can be had for a song on the net. I don't think I ever paid more than 20 bucks for one. I'm not here to sell for x10, just to attest to how well they worked for me. I'm guessing there must be even smaller cameras out there now but I really don't know. I'm just now starting to pick up again where I left off so many years ago. Well, nice chattin' with ya ! For now ...

So the X-10 stuff doesnt need a special receiver?

Yes the X-10 camera needs a receiver on the same channel as the camera.  The receiver has its one wall wart transformer lower the voltage from 110ac. 

The receiver plugs into a video and one sound RCA plug for inputting into your TV.  Almost all older tube TVs have them, I do not know about LCD or Plasma screen TVs have them.

Charlie

I ordered a converter (from China - several actually) on ebay. I wish I saved the name of the particular company I dealt with because they were good, fast etc.
The converter isn't expensive and I believe I've seen companies here in the USA who also sell them but not the same brand - I can't vouch for them. They cost around $20. each. You can use a flat screen video monitor or big screen LCD TV too. The converter takes a digital signal and converts to use with a standard RCA
white/yellow (mono) or white/red/yellow jack. They work flawlessly. I have picked up video monitors for $5 used, at Salvation Army stores and the like.
I'm sorry I failed to mention this step, as I said, its been awhile. I have x10 cameras all around my house and the smaller screen LCDs in each room so I can see around my house whenever I want. So, a used x10 camera with battery pack shouldn't cost you more than $15 -$20 if your patient and choose wisely. The converter is another $20, batteries which have to be mounted on the train and any LCD screen size or old school TV. Not bad. Make SURE you get a 'Video to VGA' converter and not the other way around. Its very easy to choose the wrong one because they look identical. They only handle the image though, no sound.
I attached a picture - this is not an any way a recommendation or an endorsement, I know nothing about these people but this appears to be identical to the ones I use. There are a few companies on the 'bay that sell them, price varies.

Keep in mind that the camera, even when stripped down, is the size of a ping pong ball.  There maybe much smaller, just as good cameras out there, I don't know, haven't looked. Hope this helped !

Ah, dang it, I should have mentioned - see the square piece sticking straight up from the car in CHOO CHOO CHARLIE 4/25/169:20 PM picture ? Its the antenna and does have to be exposed above the hidden battery pack. Maybe you can find a clever way to conceal it yet have it work. 
Here are the video camera and receiver you need - they're being sold in separate auctions in this example. You can get them together. I used these 2 because they are a matched set - you want to be sure that they will work together (different models can have different wall warts, plugs etc.
Now, I believe that is it ... 

Oooops, here's the picture:

Yes, I use one of those for my live camera setup in order to use a PC LCD screen. Just look for reviews of them burning out or distorting after long periods of use.

They work fairly well, but be warned. Many come with rubbish power cords. Mine is only 12" long, so I have a power brick that wont reach. Many of them need about 1200mA / 1.2A to operate. 1000mA / 1A is on the edge of not enough. Had to splice in wire to make it work.